From 1968's prototype Dynabook to the CrunchPad Web tablet of the near future, these 16 notebooks mark important stages in the evolution of laptops.

Since 1968, when a designer at Xerox PARC conceived of the first prototype notebook -- the Dynabook -- the computer industry has witnessed a breathtaking succession of innovations in mobile computing. This year, for the first time, laptops sales will exceed desktop sales, according to market research firm iSuppli.

In this slideshow we look back at the biggest technology breakthroughs in the evolution of laptop computers since geeks first dreamed of taking their beloved desktops with them wherever they wanted to go.

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